Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane | More than 70 Kentucky National Guard majors attended the inaugural Iron Major Leader...... read more read more
GREENVILLE, Ky. – More than 70 Kentucky National Guard field-grade officers gathered at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center Aug. 14-15 for the inaugural Iron Major.
The two-day professional development event focused on strengthening leadership and preparing officers for future command and senior leadership roles.
The event brought together Army National Guard majors from across the commonwealth for discussions on strategic and operational concepts, career development and management, and key developmental positions and operational experiences within the Kentucky National Guard.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane B. Lamberton, adjutant general of Kentucky, addressed the officers and shared lessons and advice gained throughout his military career, emphasizing the importance of leadership, professional development and preparing for future responsibilities.
Lamberton told the mid-career officers that field-grade leaders play a critical role in connecting commanders, staffs and Soldiers across an organization.
“You all really are the glue that brings it all together,” Lamberton said. “It’s the threes and the XOs that coordinate the staffs and the staff activity at battalion level, brigade level or higher to make sure things don’t go awry.”
Drawing from his command philosophy, Lamberton also encouraged the majors to address problems decisively and keep their staff focused on future missions.
“Once the decision has been made, if you fix it and you just move on, it’s history now,” Lamberton said. “Don’t waste your time and keep going back to the same issue.”
Furthermore, he encouraged the officers to pursue broadening opportunities outside Kentucky. He emphasized the value of gaining experience at the national level and building professional relationships that can benefit both individual officers and the Kentucky National Guard.
“They get a bigger picture of not just the Guard, but the military and the Army, and they build their professional network and bring that professional network back here to the state,” Lamberton said. “They’re a more proficient individual by virtue of having done so, and we as an organization benefit as well. Even if they decide to stay in a Title 10 position, it’s still a win-win because the Kentucky National Guard has expanded its professional network.”
Other guest speakers included U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Hall, deputy commanding general of the Army National Guard, U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Samulski, commanding general of the 29th Infantry Division, and Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler, deputy adjutant general for Kentucky.
For field grade officers attending the event, the gathering offered an opportunity to step outside their normal staff roles and engage with peers from across Kentucky.
Maj. Zachary Hahn, plans officer for the 138th Operational Fires Command, noted the benefits of breaking away from daily routines.
“This is a unique opportunity to hear from the state senior leadership, as well as network within the field-grade community and see folks that you don’t get to see very often,” Hahn said.
The event also moved outside the classroom, where the Iron Majors became one of the first groups of Soldiers to conduct the new Combat Field Test (CFT).
The seven-event CFT consists of a one-mile run, 30 dead-stop push-ups, a 100-meter sprint, 16 40-pound sandbag lifts onto a 65-inch platform, a 50-meter carry with two 40-pound water cans, a 50-meter movement drill combining a high crawl and three- to five-second rushes, and a final one-mile run.
Senior Enlisted Advisor John T. Raines III joined the majors for the CFT. This participation reinforced the event’s emphasis on leading by example and maintaining the physical readiness expected of Army leaders.
“Participating in the CFT added another dimension to the event,” Hahn said. “It gave us a chance to challenge ourselves, build some camaraderie and experience something new together. We can take those lessons back to our formations and help the organization understand how to implement it going forward.”
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Shawn Dawley, a motivational speaker, encouraged them to lead from the front and set the example for those they lead.
The inaugural event provided Kentucky’s field-grade officers with an opportunity to learn from senior leaders, exchange experiences and gain a better understanding of the professional development opportunities available to them.
The Kentucky National Guard plans to use events such as the Iron Major development weekend to develop leaders who are prepared to meet the evolving demands of the force and lead Soldiers effectively at strategic, operational and tactical levels.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2026 13:51 |
| Story ID: | 573259 |
| Location: | KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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